MicroRNA for the early detection of type 2 diabetes mellitus: literature review

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a glucose metabolism disorder of multiple etiology, representing more than 90 % of diabetes cases around the world. Current studies have proposed microRNAs (miRNAs) as possible early biomarkers of the disease. Objective: review the literature on the use of miRNAs as biomarkers in the early detection of type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). Methods: comprehensive searches of scientific databases were carried out and nine studies that met the inclusion criteria were selected. These studies examined the expression profiles of specific miRNAs and their utility as diagnostic and prognostic markers. Results: they revealed that certain miRNAs, such as miR-21, miR-122, miR-148b-3p, miR-27a-3p and miR-135, showed significant changes in their expression in patients with T2DM and prediabetes compared to healthy individuals. These miRNAs were also associated with key metabolic processes, such as the regulation of insulin signaling, insulin resistance, and inflammation. Conclusions: these findings support the potential of miRNAs as biomarkers for early detection, prognosis, and management of T2DM and prediabetes. However, further research is required to validate and better understand the clinical relevance of miRNAs in these metabolic diseases.